Wire-line clamp



Aprii 6 1926.

F. E. CROTTO WIRE LINE CLAMP Filed March 26, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ENVENTOR KEG/W775 BY ATTORNEY April 6 1926. 1,579,284

7 F. E. craca'r'ro WIRE LINE CLAMP Filed March 26 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. CROTTO, or TULSA, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR '10 WESTERN SUPPLY COMPANY, or TULSA, OKLAHOMA, A CORPORATION OF OKLAHOMA.

WIRE-LINE CLAMP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, FRANK E. CRo'r'ro, citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in W1re- Line Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

* This invention relates to new and useful improvements in wire line clamps.

The object of the invention is tov prov de a wire line clamp embodying certain 1mprovements upon the clamps set forth'in my Letters Patent No. 1,482,460, issued February 5, 1924.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an equal number of clamping elements, whereby more uniform compression may be had and directly opposite thrusts Sustained. I

Another object is to provide four slips mounted so as to be interchangeable and readily accessible, as well as easily removable.

A further object is to simplify the clamp by forming it of two jaws hinged together and each carrying apair of clamplng slips arranged at an angle to each other and having concaved faces so as to co-operate w th the other pair of slips in gripping the wire at four equally spaced points.

Another object is to hinge the slips in the jaws and resiliently hold them in their normal positions, whereby they are free to swing, relatively radially of the line, so as to efiectually clamp lines of varying diameters.

Still another Object is to provide an improved gate for drawing the jaws together andholding them in clamping position.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The'invention will be more readily understood from' a reading'of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a'wire line clamp constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same,

Application filed March 26, 1925. Serial No. 18,582.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional View taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2,-

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of one' of the hinges the jaws together. Each jaw has a 2 vertical recess 14 in its inner face extending forwardly from the ears. In the back of each recess is cut a plurality of superposed slip sockets 15. each socket is rounded (Fig. 4) to form a fulcrum or cradle for the rounded hinge lug 16 of slip 17. The slips are inserted by spreading the jaws apart and pushing the lugs 16 laterally into the sockets. Each jaw has two tiers of sockets, meeting at their front ends and diverging from each other. The sockets also flare outwardly so that the lugs seated therein may swing. The top and bottom lugs have round studs 18 extending beyond the top and bottom Suifaces of the jaws. Adjacent each stud and relatively on each side thereof, are a pair of ears 19 receiving a cotter key 20 bearing against the stud and thus retaining the slips in their sockets. The slips extend from the recesses 14 and are arranged so as to bear on the diametrically opposite sides of the wire line or drill cable, when the jaws are closed.

Between the lugs the slips are formed on one side with inclined recesses 21 which receive the back walls of the recesses 14 between the sockets. While the sockets flare outwardly the slips converge toward their outer ends. The front walls 22 of the Sockets 15 act as stops to limit the outward swing of the slips, which are held against the stops by coiled Springs 23, seated in the back walls of the sockets. Each slip is extended longi- The back wall of p tudinally beyond the studs and has a concaved seat or groove 24 in its outer vertical edge or face.

By observing Fig. 4 it will be seen that the slips 17 normally resting against the stop walls 22 and with the jaws substantially parallel are positioned so that tieir concaved faces are equally spaced to bear uniformly on a wire line. The flaring sockets 1:) permit the slips to swing to grasp lines of different diameters as well as to adjust themselves to the surface oi the line, according to the swing of the jaws. It is pointed out that when the jaws are swung together the slips will grasp the same with equal pressure and the thrusts will be direct-ly opposite. The slips are easily re moved by withdrawing the keys and are also interchangeable.

Hooks are cast on top of the jaws and are located to balance the clamp. These hooks overhang the sides of the jaws and receive links 26, whereby the clamp may be suspended in the usual manner. Keepers 27 bolted on the sides of the jaws rest in steps 28. The upper ends of the keepers are dished to conform to the links and act to retain the links in the hooks. The keepers may be removed when it is desired to detach the links.

For exerting pressure on the jaws to cause the slips to grip the line. I provide a gate. As is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the outer or free ends of the jaws are reduced to form short arms 29 and 30 respectively, both of which are slotted inwardly to receive the gate bar 31. This bar has its free end reduced and a nut pinned thereon. Between the nut and the shoulder a thrust washer 33 and a loose washer 3% (Fig. 9) are mounted on the bar. Friction plates of suitable material are confined between the flatfaces of the washers. The washer 3% has its exposed side rounded so as to engage in a concaved seat 36 in the outer side of the arm 30.

A yoke 37 has a ball 38 at its center internally screw threaded to receive the screw threads 39 of the bar 31. On the end of the bar is a handle bar 40 of sutlicient length to give ample leverage for quickly rotating the bar 31. The ball 38 is adapted to engage in a socket 4:1 in the outer side of the arm 29. The ends of the yoke are pivoted to links 42- which in turn are pivoted to cars cast on the jaw 10.

lVith the washer engaged in the seat 36 and the ball 38 resting in the socket 411. the bar 40 may be swung to rotate the bar 31. The threads 39 are left handed and by turning the handle bar in a counter-clocl vise direction the ball of the yoke is screwed toward the washer 34, thus drawing the arms together and swinging the jaws into clamping relation, whereby the slips grasp the line. By reversing the rotation of the bar 31, the arms may be spread to tree the line. One of the features oi the clamp is the means for swinging the bar 31 clear of the arms when the jaws are opened. 13y observing Fig. 7 it will be seen that by reason of the yoke. 37 and the links 42, the bar 31 may be swung clear of the slots in the ends of the arms and to one side substantially parallel to the jaw 10.

In Fig. I have shown in full and dotted lines the action of the slips 1'? in grippin the wire line. The Slips move relatively from the position shown in 'l'ull lines to the position shown in dotted lines. In using the clamp the links 26 are suspended in the usual manner in the derrick. The bar 31 swung to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7 and the jaws 10 and 11 are spread apart. The operator stands with the line between himse f and the open clamp and reaching on each side ot the line grasps the. arms 29 and 31). which are. provided with sumps it and L t-5 to facilitate gripping the same. He pulls or swings the clamp so that the line is received between jaws and approximately in position to be engaged by the concaved faces 24; ot' the slips. when the jaws are swung together.

lVhen the clamp is positioned on the line the jaws are swung together and the bar 31 is swung into the slotted ends of the arms. The resilient hinging of the slips permits them to adjust themselves to the line. By revolving the handle bar 10 in a counterclockwise direction the bar 31 is rotated and the jaws are drawn together. As the bar is rotated it is received through the ball 38 and the washer 34: being loose on the bar remains stationary in the seat 36; while the washer 33 takes the thrust and rotates with the bar, by reason of the friction plates 35.

Various changes in the. size and shape 01 the difierent parts, as well as modifications and alterations, may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In a wire clamp, a pair of hinged jaws having a clamping space therebetween, a plurality of slips mounted in each jaw at an angle to each other and radial to a common center and means for drawing the aws together to bring the slips into clamping relation.

2. In a wire clamp, a pair of hinged jaws having clamping space therebetween, a plurality of pivoted slips mounted in each jaw and yieldingly held at an angle to each other and radial to a common center, and means for drawing the together.

In a wire clamp, a pair of hinged jaws having a clamping space therehetween, cooperating slips pivoted in each jaw, arms extended from the jaws and having curved sockets upon their outer faces, a threaded till Illtl connecting bar for the jaws, a bearing upon one end of said bar seated in one of the sockets, a bearing threaded upon the bar to engage the opposite socket, and a pivoted link mounted upon the threaded bearing and the jaw arm engaged thereby.

4. As a sub-combination in a line clamp, a slip for a clamping jaw, said slip having hinge lugs adapted to seat in a jaw socket and pivot studs, extended from each end at the axial center of said lugs and also being provided with an elongated concave-d line-gripping face extending longitudinally thereof.

5. In a line clamp, a pair of hinged jaws,

slips mounted in each jaw, each jaw having two slips converging into gripping position, and means for drawing the jaws together to bring the slips of one jaw into gripping relation to the slips of the other aw. J 6. In a line clamp, a pair of hinged jaws, each jaw having fulcrumsockets, slips having hinge lugs filling in the sockets, means for detachably retaining the slip lugs in the sockets, and a gate hinged to one of the jaws for engaging both jaws to draw then together for bringing the slips into clamping relation.

7. In a line clamp, a pair of complementary jaws having their rear ends hinged together and their adjacent sides spaced apart, slips hinged in the jaws and directed toward each other in clamping relation, a gate comprising a bar hinged to one of the jaws and carrying a nut member, and a connector pivoted to the nut and the other jaw to draw the jaws together when the bar is operated.

8. In a line'clamp, a pair of hinged jaws, each having outwardly flaring fulcrum sockets, inwardly flaring slips hinged in the sockets and swinging laterally therin, coiled springs in the sockets bearing against the slips for normally holding the slips against one wall of the sockets, and means for operating the jaws.

9. In a line clamp, a pair of complementary jaws hinged together at their rear ends, opposed slips mounted in the component faces of the jaws, a yoke hinged to one of the jaws, a ball carried by the yoke and internally screw threaded, a gate bar threaded through the ball and carrying a jaw engaging element, the jaws having seats for receiving the ball and element, and a handle bar mounted on the gate bar for rotating the same.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature. Y

FRANK E. CROTTO. 

